BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Tuesday, May 17, 1825

Housekeeper Barbara Holzmann is sent into Vienna early this morning, while Beethoven remains in Baden. He expects her to return tomorrow morning with the bell and pulls.

Beethoven writes to Nephew Karl today. “Dear Son! The weather is dreadful here, even colder today than yesterday, so that I can hardly move my fingers to write. This only seems to be the case here in the mountains, and especially here in Baden. I forgot the chocolate today. I’m sorry to have to burden you with it. This will all pass. I’m sending 2 florins, to which you should add the 15 kreutzers. If possible, send it by the afternoon mail coach, because I won’t have any by the day after tomorrow. The people at the house [Karl’s current landlord at Alleegasse 72 and mentor at the Polytechnic, Mathias Schlemmer] will probably help you with this.”

“God be with you. I’m starting to write quite a bit again, but it’s almost impossible to get anything done in this most sad, cold weather.”

“As always, your good, faithful father.”

Brandenburg Letter 1972; Anderson Letter 1372. The original of this letter is in the Vienna Austrian National Library (7/2-12). Beethoven’s remarks about the cold weather in Baden mirrors Karl’s complaints that he is unable to do his homework there in the cold.